Department for Transport

Aircraft: Air Conditioning

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 July (HL831), whether, during the Cranfield Study, any reliable information on the concentration of organophosphates specifically during a visible fume event when the interior of an aircraft is filled with smoke was collected; and if not, what plans they have to arrange for such research to be conducted.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Cranfield study makes no mention of a visible fume event. However, in over 95% of the cabin air samples, no detectable amounts of Tri-ortho cresyl phosphate (TOCP) or other tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP) were found. The Department for Transport does not plan to undertake any additional research on this issue.

Railways: Finance

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the announcement that they intend to channel part of the Network Grant through passenger franchise operators, whether they intend to do the same for freight operating companies and open-access passenger companies.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We currently have no plans to re-route Government support for rail infrastructure through freight or open access operators.

Railways: Females

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support Women in Rail and to promote the rail industry as an attractive career choice for women.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Department for Transport works closely with Women in Rail. Most recently I invited them to take part in a celebration of the National Women in Engineering Day on 23 June.   The Rail Supply Group, which is supported by both the Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, is developing a strategy this year for strengthening the UK rail supply chain including by ensuring it attracts the very best UK talent. To inform this work, Women in Rail is running a survey to establish the rail industry’s male to female ratio, with a view to promoting the rail industry as the home of many fantastic career opportunities for both men and women.   Recent rail franchise competitions have encouraged bidders to set out plans for promoting diversity and equality across the workforce and attracting and recruiting people who are new to the rail industry, particularly from under-represented groups.

River Thames: Bridges

Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made regarding the new Lower Thames Crossing.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In July 2014, the Secretary of State for Transport announced the next steps for delivering a new Lower Thames crossing. It is vital that the right location is chosen, which is why the final two options, Options A and C, are being assessed in detail. Work led by Highways England is currently underway to determine where and how best to tie in a new crossing to the existing road network. This work is expected to lead to public consultation on a proposed solution in late 2015 or early 2016.

A1: Nottinghamshire

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL349), whether they have held an enquiry into what failures contributed to the significant problems encountered by Highways England in the A1 roadworks near Gamston Airport not being identified before work began; and what lessons have been learned for future projects.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Highways England, in line with the project management process, will review the project upon completion to establish the causes of any failures, including the failure to identify adverse ground conditions and contamination. Any lessons learnt from this stage of project completion will be factored into other projects. The scheme has highlighted the benefits of "pain and gain" contracts when there is uncertainty about some costs until work commences.

Pedicabs: Greater London

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to bring forward regulations on the control of rickshaws in London, in particular regarding fares charged, roadworthiness of vehicles, and licensing requirements.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The recent Law Commission review of taxi and private hire vehicle services recommended bringing all vehicles that transport passengers for hire and reward, which would include rickshaws, into the scope of licensing.   The Government is currently considering the Law Commission’s report and draft Bill in their entirety, and in line with the protocol that exists between Government and the Law Commission, will respond in due course.

Bakerloo Line

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the proposal to extend the Bakerloo line south from Elephant and Castle.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) are developing plans to extend the Bakerloo line south from Elephant and Castle. TfL published a consultation on the principle of extending the line in autumn 2014. The results have been published on TfL’s website. During the consultation a number of alternative routes were also suggested, and TfL is reviewing these. This review will include an assessment of the costs and benefits of a number of different routes and a comparison against the original route options. TfL are likely to publish a further consultation on these route options later this year.

London Bridge Station

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have they had with Network Rail and the train operating companies regarding the on-going disruption to services at London Bridge.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, the Hon Member for Devizes (Claire Perry) chairs a weekly meeting of a taskforce comprising all of the relevant operators and Network Rail that is dedicated to improving the reliability and performance of the railway for customers travelling in the South East, including London Bridge.

Tugboats: Hebrides

Lord MacKenzie of Culkein: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any further assessment has been made of the regular availability of commercial tugs in the sea area of the Inner and Outer Hebrides following recent groundings; and whether they will reinstate a Coastguard Emergency Towing Vessel to cover this sea area.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government-funded Emergency Towing Vessel in Scotland provides coverage for both the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is not aware of any occasions where a casualty vessel in need of a tow around the Western Isles has not been provided with a successful and effective towage service. No ship has grounded or sunk, nor has there been any pollution caused by a lack of an available tow. The Government will continue to keep the need for a towing capability under review as part of its assessment of spending priorities.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Freemasonry

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they have given to councils and local authorities regarding the registration of interests other than disclosable pecuniary interests, and in particular whether elected persons who are Freemasons should declare that fact as an interest.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: It is for individual local authorities in England to determine what non-pecuniary interests their members should register and disclose in accordance with their code of conduct. My Department has produced an illustrative code of conduct for local authorities, which advises that “you must, within 28 days of taking office as a member or co-opted member, notify your authority’s monitoring officer of any disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest which your authority has decided should be included in the register or which you consider should be included if you are to fulfil your duty to act in conformity with the Seven Principles of Public Life”. The illustrative code of conduct (attached) is available on my Department’s web site at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/illustrative-text-for-local-code-of-conduct--2



Illustrative code of conduct for LAs - DCLG 
(PDF Document, 17.57 KB)

Social Services: Living Wage

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the additional costs to local authority budgets for adult social care incurred owing to payment of the national living wage will be regarded as a new burden on local authorities; and whether they plan to provide for any such additional costs in the annual local government financial settlement for 2016–17 and subsequent financial years.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The new burdens doctrine does not apply to policies which apply the same rules to local authorities and to private sector bodies, unless these have a disproportionate effect on local government. The impact on local government of the introduction of the National Living Wage will be considered during the Spending Review as part of an overall assessment of spending pressures.

Social Rented Housing

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the measures announced in the summer budget regarding social housing on the ability of local authorities and housing associations to build new housing on (1) brownfield sites, and (2) elsewhere.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government remains committed to delivering 275,000 new affordable homes by 2020. We are engaging with the social housing sector on the changes announced at Budget. This is a financially robust sector and we expect the them to be able to manage these changes through efficiencies. There is a role for them in delivering the mix of housing supply this country needs, as we have already seen through the delivery of over 260,000 new affordable homes over the past five years.

Northern Ireland Office

Parades Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government to which section of government the Northern Ireland Parades Commission is accountable.

Lord Dunlop: The Parades Commission operates independently of Government in line with the provisions contained in the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998. The Commission is accountable to the courts for its operational decisions. The Commission is accountable to the Northern Ireland Office for the management of its resources.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Business

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the level of interdependence between small and large businesses; and how they plan to support businesses of all sizes.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We recognise that many small businesses engage with larger businesses, forming a valuable part of their supply chains. Strong and robust supply chains are vital to the continued growth of the UK economy and there are a number of activities underway across various sectors that seek to build capability and capacity in the supply chain, thereby supporting businesses and helping them to grow. We are also clear that large companies should trade fairly with small suppliers and that is why we will shortly be consulting on proposals to establish a small business conciliation service to help small businesses resolve any disputes. For many small businesses, late payment of invoices is a particular concern and we have introduced a number of measures to help encourage larger businesses to pay on time. This includes a new reporting requirement on the UK’s 15,000 largest companies from 2016) to shine a light on poor payment practices, and a strengthened Prompt Payment Code to introduce a maximum 60 day payment term and allow a Code Compliance Board to challenge grossly unfair payment practices. We will also be consulting on giving wider powers to representative bodies to challenge grossly unfair terms.

Sunday Trading

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in formulating their plans to amend the law relating to Sunday trading, what consideration they gave to the prospective impact on employees and shoppers who do not have access to a car; and what assessment they made of (1) the case for improving public transport on Sundays to assist those without access to a car, and (2) the cost of doing so.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: As announced in the Budget, the Government is consulting on proposals to devolve powers on Sunday trading in England and Wales. As part of that consultation, the Government will be publishing its initial analysis. Employees and consumers are two of the key groups potentially affected by this policy and the Government will carefully consider the responses and any further evidence it receives to the consultation. This information will help shape the final proposals.

Unpaid Work

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) whether they will list the categories of employed people who are not remunerated, including Ministers, who are exempted from the provisions of the minimum wage legislation, and (2) whether unpaid Ministers will qualify for the proposed living wage.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Certain exemptions to qualification to the National Minimum Wage apply through Part 6 (Exclusions) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015[1]. The noble Lord will find a list of those exempted from the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 on the Gov.uk webpage https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage/who-gets-the-minimum-wage.   Ministers are generally classified as ‘office holders’ who are neither workers nor employees, except where the individual also holds an employment contract with the same company or organisation that meets the criteria for employees. Where a Minister meets this criteria and is classed as a worker under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (https://www.gov.uk/employment-status/worker), they will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage and the new National Living Wage once implemented in April 2016.[1] http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2015/9780111127964/pdfs/ukdsi_9780111127964_en.pdf 



National Minimum Wage
(Word Document, 12.68 KB)




Employment Status
(Word Document, 12.84 KB)

Sunday Trading: Greater London

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect their proposals for Sunday trading to be implemented on a London-wide basis.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: As announced in the Budget, the Government is consulting on proposals to devolve decision making on Sunday trading hours to a local level, for example, to elected metro mayors and/or Local Authorities, in England and Wales.   Providing local areas with more flexibility over shop opening hours would help our major cities, including London, to capitalise on the economic benefits of local growth as well as international tourism.   The outcome of the consultation will help shape the final proposals.

Department for International Development

Nepal: Earthquakes

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reasons the government of Nepal gave for declining to use RAF Chinook helicopters deployed to Nepal for disaster relief.

Baroness Verma: The UK offered Chinook helicopters to help deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the most remote areas of Nepal, in response to a UN request on 25 April for help, issued on behalf of the Nepalese government. In deciding not to accept the offer, the Government of Nepal cited technical reasons and referred to the existing helicopter capacity that was already in the country.  It was ultimately a decision for them to take on what equipment should be used during the relief effort.

Humanitarian Aid: Military Aid

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much the Department for International Development has reimbursed the Ministry of Defence in respect of humanitarian assistance in each of the last five years.

Baroness Verma: The table below contains detail of all MOD reimbursement resulting from DFID requested support to crisis in the past five years. The costs shown are marginal/additional costs in accordance with the agreed terms of the DFID – MOD memorandum of understanding and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) guidelines. YearEventsCost2010Haiti Earthquake and Pakistan Floods£1,234,9362013Philippines - super typhoon Haiyan£8,950,2812014Iraq - air drops to Yazidis population on Mount Sinjar£2,000,0002014-15Sierra Leone - ebola response£28,800,000 (to date)

Gaza: Armed Conflict

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) single amputee, and (2) multiple amputee, children require prosthetics as a result of being injured in Operation Protective Edge; what assessment they have made of the access Gazan children have to prosthetics and rehabilitation; and what assessment they have made of the cost of funding a single prosthetic limb for a child through to adulthood.

Baroness Verma: DFID does not routinely carry out such assessments. Following the conflict in Gaza, DFID provided £724,518 to a Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) project which provided support for trauma and plastic reconstructive surgery and essential medical equipment to Gaza hospitals.  MAP published a report on a mission carried out in August 2014 to make an assessment of needs and any immediate surgical work if required which can be read here: http://www.map-uk.org/downloads/map-ideals-gaza-medical-report-august-2014-(2).pdf.



Assessment Mission of MAP, 9-14 August 2014
(PDF Document, 897.25 KB)

Department for Education

Teachers: Training

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the new guidance for postgraduate teacher training issued by the National College of Teaching and Leadership on (1) the viability of subject courses at secondary level, and (2) future teacher supply in secondary subjects at national and regional level; whether they plan to publish a detailed assessment; and if so, when.

Lord Nash: The Department for Education uses the national Teacher Supply Model (TSM) to assess the need for initial teacher training (ITT) entrants each year.   School Direct is an opportunity for schools in all areas to recruit and train the teachers that they need. For 2016/17, the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) listened to feedback from schools and universities and responded to recruitment challenges by moving to a more open approach which will provide School Direct lead schools and ITT providers with greater flexibility to respond to local conditions.  The viability of individual courses at secondary level are down to a mixture of local and institutional circumstances, including the number of applicants and the degree to which ITT providers engage in School Direct in partnership with schools.

National Curriculum Tests

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many schools entered pupils for Key Stage 2 SATs in the academic year 2013–14; and how many opted to mark the scripts themselves.

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how schools' marking of their own Key Stage 2 scripts is moderated.

Lord Nash: In the academic year 2013-14, 15,509 schools entered pupils for the statutory key stage 2 tests in English and mathematics.   Schools did not have the option to mark scripts themselves. All scripts in all subjects were externally marked via the Standards and Testing Agency’s external marking services provider.

National Curriculum Tests

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to promote unannounced inspections of schools entering pupils for Key Stage 2 SATs for compliance with the required procedures for (1) the safe storage of test papers, (2) preventing the opening of those papers prior to the examination date, (3) ensuring proper invigilation of the SATs tests, and (4) preventing unauthorised concessions or assistance to pupils.

Lord Nash: The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) publishes the ‘Assessment and Reporting Arrangements’ at the start of each academic year, laying out the statutory responsibilities of schools and local authorities for the administration of key stage 2 tests.   Local authorities have a statutory duty to conduct monitoring visits to 10% of the schools participating in the key stage 2 national curriculum tests in their area. Monitoring visits are undertaken before, during and after the test period.   The STA provide local authorities and agencies responsible for conducting monitoring visits with details of any schools it feels should receive a monitoring visit based on information it holds. Within the sample of schools visited, monitoring visitors are required to observe the secure storage of the test materials, the administration of the tests and the collation and packaging of the pupils’ completed scripts ready for dispatch for marking. Details of monitoring visits are recorded and any concerns about the security of the test materials or administration of the tests are investigated by STA. Results may be amended or annulled where evidence of maladministration is found.   Schools may seek permission for ‘access arrangements’ to support pupils with specific needs. Local authorities check permission has been given and evidence of need exists for any alterations to administration as part of the monitoring visit.

Children: Day Care

Lord True: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each financial year from 2015–16 to 2020—21, what are the estimated annual costs of providing (1) free childcare for two year-olds, (2) 15 hours of free childcare per week for three and four year-olds, and (3) 30 hours of free childcare per week for three and four year-olds of working parents.

Lord Nash: Allocations made to local authorities for 15 hours of free childcare per week for three- and four- year-olds totalled £2.2 billion in 2015-16. Allocations in 2015-16 for 15 hours of free childcare per week for disadvantaged two year-olds will be announced shortly. The government is committed to raise the average hourly rate providers receive from the introduction of the new entitlement from 2017-18. The government is undertaking a review of childcare costs in order to set a new average hourly rate that is fair for providers and delivers value for money for the taxpayer. Until this review is complete, it is not possible to estimate annual costs of providing free childcare for two year-olds, or 15 hours of free childcare per week for three-and four-year-olds after 2016.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the sex and relationships education portion of the national curriculum focuses on sexual relationships and does not equally focus on relationships such as that between a mother and her young child, or relationships in the workplace.

Lord Nash: Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a non-statutory subject that can encompass many areas of study, including the importance of healthy relationships and how to identify those relationships which are unhealthy. This applies to all the relationships that young people have with their friends, peers and families. We expect all schools to provide PSHE.   All maintained secondary schools are also required to provide sex and relationships education as part of the basic curriculum and must have regard to the Secretary of State’s guidance, published in 2000. The guidance recognises that there are strong and mutually supportive relationships outside marriage and that pupils should learn the significance of different relationships as key building blocks of the wider society in order to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

Extracurricular Activities

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that extra-curricular activities such as team games, art, music, drama and adventure challenges are encouraged and appropriately funded in schools.

Lord Nash: We have high aspirations for all children. To enable all young people to realise their potential we want schools to help ensure they are well-rounded, confident, resilient and happy. Schools must provide opportunities and encourage their pupils to develop a wider set of skills to help them not only exceed at school, but prepare them to go on to contribute positively to the economy and to society as fully engaged citizens.   Schools are a fantastic asset in local communities, and we are encouraging schools to extend their childcare offer to parents. We have simplified the rules and aligned staffing requirements for before/after school care and holiday provision. This makes it easier for schools to offer extra-curricular activities out of school hours.   As part of Ofsted school inspections, inspectors will consider how schools supplement the formal curriculum with extra-curricular opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding and improve their skills in a range of artistic, creative and sporting activities.   Through the primary PE and sport premium, over £300 million of ring-fenced funding was paid direct to schools across academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to improve PE and sport. The Government has committed to continue this funding of £150 million a year until 2020. Independent research found that over 70% of schools used the funding to provide more extra-curricular activities and offer a wider range of sports. Schools also made changes to the costs of extra-curricular PE and sports – a third of these reduced the costs to attend, and a fifth made some clubs free to attend.   The department has invested over £460 million from 2012-2016 in a diverse portfolio of music and arts education programmes that are designed to improve access to the arts for all children regardless of their background and to develop talent across the country. This includes support for music education hubs which provides opportunities for children and young people to play in ensembles and develop singing strategies.   Over £450,000 has been provided to Debate Mate across three academic years to support their programme of after-school debate clubs. Debate Mate clubs are aimed at disadvantaged young people in years 5-10 and aim to encourage personal empowerment, increase academic achievement and develop life skills.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to renew the commitment made in 2010 by the Coalition Government to give due consideration to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child when making new policy and legislation, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its report The UK's compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (8th Report, Session 2014–15, HL Paper 144).

Lord Nash: The government remains committed to giving due consideration to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when developing new policy and legislation and the commitment given by the coalition government stands. We believe that embedding children’s rights in government policy can strengthen services and improve outcomes for children. The rights set out in the UNCRC are secured through a range of different methods, including through legislation, guidance and requirements in various national minimum standards such as the 'Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations including the quality standards' which is available in the attached document and at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443634/Guide_to_the_Children_s_Homes_Regulations_including_the_quality_standards.pdf 



Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations
(PDF Document, 832.42 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Legal Aid Scheme

Lord Temple-Morris: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been their spending in cash and real terms on legal aid in each of the last 10 years.

Lord Faulks: The Government’s spending on Legal Aid in cash and real terms in each of the last 10 years is listed as follows:  Total cash flows for legal aid, including administration costs of the agency and transfers to central funds 2005/062006/072007/082008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15Total cash flows (£'000)2,178,2542,130,1252,191,2802,255,6562,342,5392,329,0542,229,7482,160,5781,969,5021,730,890Real terms (£'000)2,663,7172,536,1052,534,7372,545,3132,576,7392,492,9132,344,6602,235,8361,996,9401,730,890 *Since 2013/14 the LAA has produced one set of accounts incorporating both legal aid fund and administration costs. Prior to that separate accounts were produced for the fund and administration. *The LAA took over responsibility for Central Funds in 2013/14 and before that it was included within the accounts of the Ministry of Justice, the time series above includes cash from both periods.

Ministry of Justice: Public Appointments

Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list those persons appointed as chairs of non-departmental public bodies by the Ministry of Justice.

Lord Faulks: The Minister of State for Civil Justice, Ministry of Justice (Lord Faulks QC): Details of the Chairs of Ministry of Justice Non-Departmental Public Bodies have been lodged in the House library. These, and further details, are also available in a Cabinet Office publication, Public Bodies 2014, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-bodies-2014



Public Bodies 2014 - Chairs
(Word Document, 37 KB)

Resettlement Units

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of offenders within three months of the end of their sentence are currently in resettlement prisons.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the usable operational capacity in each prison designated as a resettlement prison.

Lord Faulks: As at 26 June 2015, 95% of male and female offenders aged 18 and over with less than three months to serve were held in a designated resettlement prison. It is not possible to provide the usable operational capacity of each resettlement prison, however the operational capacity of each resettlement prison as at 26 June 2015 is set out in the following table. The Operational Capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by Deputy Directors of Custody on the basis of operational judgement and experience. The useable operational capacity of the prison estate is the sum of all prisons’ operational capacity, less 2,000 places. This is known as the operating margin which provides an allowance to reflect the constraints imposed by the need to provide separate accommodation for different classes of prisoners; i.e. by gender, age, security category, conviction status, single cell risk assessment and also geographical distribution. The operating margin is a measure that is applied to the estate as a whole and it is therefore not possible to provide the usable operational capacity for each prison. The Operational Capacity of Prisons in England and Wales on 26 June 2015Prison Operational CapacityAltcourse1,093Ashfield400Askham Grange128Bedford506Belmarsh906Birmingham1,450Blantyre House0Brinsford455Bristol614Brixton798Bronzefield527Bullingdon1,114Cardiff820Channings Wood731Chelmsford745Coldingley519Doncaster1,145Dovegate1,133Downview0Drake Hall340Durham995East Sutton Park100Eastwood Park363Elmley1,175Exeter561Featherstone687Feltham594Ford524Forest Bank1,460Foston Hall345Frankland844Glen Parva728Grendon233Guys Marsh579Hatfield266Haverigg644Hewell1,279High Down1,163Highpoint1,300Hindley398Hollesley Bay424Holloway591Holme House1,210Hull1,044Humber1,026Isis622Kennet342Kirkham657Kirklevington Grange283Lancaster Farms549Leeds1,212Leicester411Lewes722Leyhill527Lincoln729Liverpool1,386Low Newton344Manchester1,286Moorland1,006Mount, The1,020New Hall425North Sea Camp420Northumberland1,348Norwich769Nottingham1,060Oakwood1,605Onley747Parc1,723Pentonville1,316Peterborough (Female)384Peterborough (Male)868Portland531Preston790Ranby1,098Risley1,095Rochester738Send282Spring Hill335Standford Hill464Stoke Heath782Styal485Sudbury600Swansea455Thameside1,080Thorn Cross381Usk / Prescoed273Wandsworth1,658Wayland1,015Wealstun833Winchester685Woodhill727Wormwood Scrubs1,279 Note: Blantyre House and Downview are currently out of use.Prison population and capacity information for every prison in England and Wales, as well as the total population and useable operational capacity of the prison estate is published monthly on the Government website at:  https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-population-statistics

Wandsworth Prison

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what facilities are available for prisoners at HMP Wandsworth to participate in acts of worship.

Lord Faulks: HMP Wandsworth is a large, diverse London prison catering for approximately 1620 men and comprising two units, a B-category local prison and a C-category resettlement unit. The religious affiliation of these prisoners is similarly diverse and is supported by a large multi-faith chaplaincy team. Recent HMIP inspections of the prison have given positive reports of chaplaincy provision and access to religious services. The prison has a good range and quality of religious space that allows each faith group to meet regularly in suitable surroundings. These include a designated mosque, a church and two multi-faith chaplaincy rooms that are adaptable and used by the Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Orthodox and Jehovah Witness faith communities. All prisoners are seen on arrival by the chaplaincy team and their religious affiliation ascertained. For the smaller faith groups, prisoners will be followed up by the individual chaplains and invited to a weekly time of worship. All faith groups have at least a minimum of one hour of weekly corporate worship and the offer of additional religious classes. For Christian and Muslim denominations, because of the substantial numbers involved, prisoners are asked to request whether they would like to attend a weekly time of worship.

Ministry of Defence

Military Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many fighter aircraft are fully operational and available for air defence of the United Kingdom.

Earl Howe: Typhoon aircraft are held at continuous ground readiness, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week at RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth, so that they can take off within minutes to protect UK sovereign airspace.As at 16 July, there are 91 Typhoon aircraft in the Forward Available Fleet. The Forward Available Fleet comprises those aircraft that are serviceable and ready for operational deployment or training, together with aircraft that are short-term unserviceable. Short-term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection work that can arise on a day-to-day basis.I am withholding the number of Typhoon aircraft held at continuous ground readiness as its release would, or would be likely to prejudice the defence of the United Kingdom.

Unidentified Flying Objects

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of claims of new evidence from Colonel Charles Halt, whether they will confirm that United Kingdom radar operators tracked unidentified flying objects over Rendlesham Forest in December 1980; whether the 18 Ministry of Defence unexplained flying object files that have yet to be released to the public contain information about these radar reports; and whether the original radar tapes will be released to the public.

Earl Howe: All 18 files have been examined by officials and I can confirm that Rendlesham Forest is mentioned. However, this is only in relation to replies to parliamentary questions and responses to enquiries from members of the public advising that the Ministry of Defence could not confirm Colonel Halt's account.None of the files contain radar reports or any type of tapes.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flour: Additives

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when planning started for the current consultation on a change in the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 to allow unfortified flour to be used in certain circumstances; and whether the issue was raised during the 2013 Red Tape Challenge review of the Regulations.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The issue was considered during the 2013 Red Tape Challenge consultation, but an option to exempt flour used at lower levels was not supported by consultees at the time. The current consultation was prompted by industry concern that new labelling rules introduced at the end of 2014, requiring those added fortificants to be labelled, would place producers at a disadvantage. Supporting a world-leading UK food industry is a key priority for Government and it is committed to reducing red tape and helping business where it can without compromising public health.The issue was raised prior to the 2013 decision and an option similar to what is now being proposed was included in the consultation but it was not supported by consultees at the time.

Water Companies

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors were taken into account in setting the criteria for granting retail licences in the deregulated water retail market following the coming into force of the Water Act 2014.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Entrants to the new retail market will be required to hold one of the new Water Supply and Sewerage licences (WSSL). There are existing retail licences under the current regime, and the licence conditions and applications process for that regime are being built on to develop the new regime. Further information is available on Ofwat's website.   In June 2015, Ofwat consulted on the form of the new WSSL licences, and the proposed process for issuing them ('Licensing and policy issues in relation to the opening of the non-household retail market - a consultation'). The applications process for these licences will open from April 2016. Further information, and a copy of the consultation, is available on Ofwat's website.

Thames Water

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for dividing Thames Water into two new companies, one with responsibility for the upper Thames area and one with responsibility for London and the lower Thames area.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The water industry in England and Wales was privatised in 1989, when the ten publicly-owned regional water authorities transferred their functions and assets to private water companies. There are currently 32 privately-owned water companies serving England and Wales, overseen by the independent economic regulator Ofwat.   As an appointed water and sewerage company, Thames Water’s licence of appointment specifies a specific area of appointment. Water company licencing is a matter for Ofwat. The Government has therefore made no assessment of any such change in the company’s structure.

Home Office

Refugees: France

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to establish an interviewing point in or near Calais and to invite refugees to claim protection in Britain if they have a close family connection with this country or an urgent medical condition that can best be treated in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to enable illegal migrants in another EU Member State to claim asylum in the UK. EU Member States have a responsibility to register and process all asylum claims made on their territory and it is an accepted principle of international law that an asylum seeker should claim protection in the first safe country that they reach. Any genuine refugee in France should lodge a claim for protection there.The Dublin Regulation contains family unity provisions which may result in the responsible State being that where an asylum seeker’s close family members are legally present. If an asylum seeker is in France and can demonstrate they have close family members legally present in the UK, France may request that the UK agree to the transfer of responsibility for the asylum applicant under the Dublin Regulation.We would not accept the transfer to the UK of an asylum seeker in France for the purposes of medical treatment. France is bound by the terms of the Reception Conditions Directive 2011/33/EU, which obliges participating Member States to ensure that applicants receive the necessary health care which shall include, at least, emergency care and essential treatment of illnesses and of serious mental disorders.

Asylum: Bahrain

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Bahrainis have been granted asylum or other protection status in the United Kingdom since January 2011.

Lord Bates: There were 62 Bahraini nationals granted asylum or other form of protection in the UK from January 2011 to March 2015, based on initial decisions for main applicants.The figure provided is published in the Immigration Statistics Release by the Home Office, in Table as_01_q “Asylum applications and initial decisions for main applicants by country of nationality”, available from the link below.https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on asylum applications and initial decisions within the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics January – March 2015 is available from the Library of the House.



Table - PQ HL1339 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 14.55 KB)

UK Border Force

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 7 July (HL941), what aerial surveillance capability the Border Agency operates separately from the Ministry of Defence; and what assessment they have made of whether civilian assets currently available will be available next year.

Lord Bates: We do not comment on specific operational matters that impact on national security. A variety of assets ensure the integrity of the UK border.

NHS: Migrant Workers

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many visas have been issued to (1) doctors, and (2) nurses, for employment in the National Health Service in each of the last 10 years.

Lord Bates: The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The closest available data relates to Certificates of Sponsorship used in visa applications, and is given in the table below.Table cs_03: Applicants for visas for work using sponsorship certificates: Human Health and Social Work Activities 20102011201220132014Tier 22,9151,5651,5862,1143,121Tier 51,0241,1961,0201,1821,290Source: Immigration Statistics January-March 2015



Table - PQ HL1394 
(Word Document, 11.66 KB)

Visas: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to relaxing visa restrictions for Palestinians in line with Israeli visa requirements.

Lord Bates: Nationals or citizens of Israel, who hold a full Israeli passport, do not require a visa to come to the UK as a visitor or for short-term study for less than six months. Holders of Palestinian travel documents require a visa to come to the UK for any purpose in the Immigration Rules.The government regularly reviews the visa system. Visa regimes are imposed and removed on the basis of the risk that the country’s citizens pose to the UK.

Syria: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to take action similar to that taken by the government of Belgium in escorting over 200 Syrian Christians and Yazidis from Aleppo to Belgium.

Lord Bates: The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. We have pledged nearly £900 million, making us the second largest bilateral donor in the world after the USA. Our support has reached hundreds of thousands of people across Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. Since the crisis began we have granted protection to over 4,200 Syrian nationals and their dependants under our normal asylum rules.We are also working closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to identify some of the most vulnerable displaced Syrians and bring them to the UK. The Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme is helping those in the greatest need who cannot be supported effectively in the region by giving them protection and support in the UK – the scheme prioritises people requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of torture and violence, and women and children at risk.However, we do not believe that a policy of arranging the evacuation or resettlement of particular groups of Syrians is the right response to the situation. Other countries may adopt slightly different approaches to the crisis; it is right that the international community should consider all available means to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. But we believe we can make a greater impact and help more people through the provision of substantial humanitarian aid in the region and by working with international partners to end the conflict. We therefore have no additional plans to implement resettlement arrangements for specific groups of Syrians.

Heathrow Airport

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to direct Heathrow Airports Limited under section 25(1) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to provide short-term holding facilities in accordance with designs agreed for Terminals 3 and 4; and if so, when work on these facilities is expected to begin, and to be completed.

Lord Bates: We do not plan to issue a section 25 direction to Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) as HAL already provide accommodation for immigration holding room purposes. It has been agreed with HAL that the existing holding room accommodation will be upgraded to meet current requirements.Refurbishment work at Terminal 3 is scheduled to begin on 1st December 2015 with a completion date of August 2016. Terminal 4 works are scheduled to begin on 15th December 2015 and be completed by June 2016.

Police National Computer

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government from what date the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has had direct access to the Police National Computer and what records are kept about, and audit made of, their use of that facility.

Lord Bates: The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has had ‘read only’ access to the Police National Computer (PNC) since 9 January 2012.Requests for direct access to the PNC are reviewed by the PNC Information Access Panel, which is chaired by the national policing lead for the PNC.HMIC has the responsibility for the auditing of non-police prosecuting agencies with direct access to the PNC. PNC access and use by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals has been audited by HMIC, who will shortly publish their report.

Drugs: Crime

Lord Blair of Boughton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require the Director of Public Prosecutions to produce guidance as to the circumstances under which possession of a psychoactive substance amounts to a possible offence of supplying or offering to supply under clause 5 of the Psychoactive Substances Bill.

Lord Bates: Under section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 it is the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions to issue guidance for Crown Prosecutors. We have worked closely with a range of partners, including the Crown Prosecution Service, in the course of the drafting of the Psychoactive Substances Bill and will continue to do so to ensure that the Bill is effectively implemented.

Scotland Office

Scotland Bill

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 16 July (HL1266), whether they plan to take any stages of the Scotland Bill in the House of Lords before the fiscal framework has been agreed and published.

Lord Dunlop: The Government intends to progress the negotiations on the fiscal framework in parallel with the Scotland Bill. At their meeting on 7 July, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Deputy First Minister re-affirmed their aim to conclude negotiations on the fiscal framework by the autumn.

HM Treasury

Debts: Greece

Lord Radice: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the level of indebtedness of (1) the government of Greece, and (2) Greek businesses, to the United Kingdom Government and United Kingdom businesses.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The government has secured a deal that protects UK taxpayers from any risk from financing euro area bailouts now and in the future. This deal gives legal force to the commitment secured in 2010 that UK taxpayers would not be drawn into a euro area bailout.   As the Chancellor has stated, private sector exposures to Greek banks and the Greek economy are far lower than they were in 2012.

Debts: Greece

Lord Radice: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the United Kingdom economy of a default in its international obligations by the government of Greece, and of a Greek exit from the euro.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The government has secured a deal that protects UK taxpayers from any risk from financing euro area bailouts now and in the future. This deal gives legal force to the commitment secured in 2010 that UK taxpayers would not be drawn into a euro area bailout. Under the European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM) short term financing agreement concluded on Friday 17 July, Greece’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrears have also been cleared.   As the Chancellor has said, we should not underestimate the impact that a Greek exit from the euro area would have on the European economy – or the knock-on effects on the UK. But the economic plan we’ve pursued in Britain these last five years has increased our resilience – and we will take whatever further steps are needed to protect the UK from new risks to our economic security.

Living Wage: Lone Parents

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the net financial effect on a lone parent working 16 hours a week of the new proposed living wage and the reductions in tax credits in 2016–17.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: By 2017-18, 8 out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the personal allowance, living wage and welfare changes in this Budget. 17.7m households will benefit in total.   The effect on any given household will depend on their specific circumstances, such as precise housing costs. Treasury analysis in the Budget document shows that an example lone parent, who is renting, and works 35 hours on the minimum wage, will see their net income increase by £1,550 by 2020-21 compared to 2015-16 in cash terms. This also represents an increase in real terms.   In order to help lone parents move into full time employment, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed in the Summer Budget that from September 2017, free childcare entitlement will be doubled from 15 hours to 30 hours a week for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds, an entitlement worth around £5,000 a year.

Taxation

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the amount of tax lost to the Exchequer through tax avoidance and evasion measures.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publish estimates of the tax gap in Measuring Tax Gaps each year. The 2014 edition[1] (published on 16 October 2014) presents a time series of tax gaps from 2005-06 to 2012-13.  Measuring Tax Gaps includes an illustrative breakdown of the tax gap by behaviour, including avoidance and evasion. In 2012-13 avoidance was estimated to cost the exchequer £3.1 billion, and evasion to cost £4.1 billion.   Since 2010-11 the percentage tax gap has stayed lower than at any point under the previous government, saving the country £4 billion. The figures in Measuring Tax Gaps show that there’s still more work to do but our continued drive to tackle avoidance means that avoidance is down.   During the last Parliament, as a result of actions to tackle evasion, avoidance and non-compliance, HMRC will have secured £100 billion in additional compliance revenue. This includes more than £31 billion from big businesses and £1.2 billion extra from the UK’s richest people.   The UK has one of the lowest tax gaps in the world but HMRC will continue to deploy its resources and skills to maintain the downward pressure that has proved so effective in recent years.

Cabinet Office

Political Parties: Finance

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to allow British citizens living abroad to make donations for life to political parties in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bridges of Headley: We will publish a Bill in due course that will make these matters clear.

Department for Culture Media and Sport

BBC: Midlands

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the level of BBC investment in the Midlands will form part of the discussions about renewing the BBC Charter.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has published a BBC Charter Review consultation paper, seeking views on all aspects of the BBC. A copy of this document has been deposited in the libraries of both Houses, and it is available online: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bbc-charter-review-public-consultation All aspects of the BBC, including investment in the Midlands, are going to be considered as part of the Charter Review.



BBC Charter Review: Public consultation 2015
(PDF Document, 4.37 MB)

Channel Four Television

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have discussed with Channel 4 about the possible relocation of its headquarters to Birmingham.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Department for Culture Media and Sport have not had any discussions with Channel 4 about the possibility of a re-location to Birmingham.

Exercise

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for action to achieve the London 2012 Olympic Games objective of inspiring a generation to increase their participation in leisure, recreation and sporting activities.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Government is committed to helping people to get more active through sport, leisure and recreation. Over £1 billion is being invested in youth and community sport through Sport England over the five years to 2017 to help more people develop a sporting habit for life. There are now 1.4 million more people playing sport once a week than when we won the bid for the 2012 Games back in 2005. In schools the Government is supporting the School Games to encourage competitive sport in and between schools. 19,000 schools have signed up to the School Games and over seven million young people have taken part in the Games since their inception in 2011/12. In addition the government has provided over £150m per year of ring-fenced funding to support PE and sport in primary schools, with funding going direct to every primary headteacher in England. Government has pledged to maintain this funding throughout the 2015-2020 Parliament.  Government and the Mayor of London launched "Moving More, Living More" in February 2014, setting out its intention to tackle physical inactivity as a part of the legacy from London 2012, including though sport and recreation. Public Health England's 'Everybody Active Every Day' report, providing guidance to local authorities and others on how to promote physical activity, was published last October. The Government will be consulting on a new sports strategy over the summer and will publish the new approach later this year.

Sports

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost of participation in sports, and of the impact of such cost on the rates of participation of young people in sports.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Government remains committed to supporting young people’s participation in sport and to ensuring that they can access sporting opportunities, regardless of their background. Sport England research shows that the most frequently stated reasons for young people doing more or less sport is not necessarily cost, but actually whether the ‘offer’ is right, injury/illness and also time-related pressures. Government is committed to ensuring that barriers to participation are broken down. Between 2012 and 2017 Sport England is investing almost £450 million to get more young people playing sport, with a focus on making sure that sport is delivered at the right place, at the right time and in the right style.

Playing Fields

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many playing fields have been disposed of for other use since 2005 in England; and what is the net change in the number of sport and leisure facilities in England in the past decade.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Information on playing fields that have been disposed of for other uses since 2005 is not available. Sport England does, however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in its role as statutory consultee and objects where it believes local sports provision may be diminished. Since 2004/2005, 10,901 concluded planning applications out of 11,422 have resulted in improved or safeguarded sports provision (95%).Sport England has data on sports and leisure facility provision from 2010 onwards. Since 2010, there has been a net increase of 3,130 sport and leisure facilities in England.

Sports

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the London 2012 Olympic sporting legacy for the country as a whole, and the value for money obtained from this spending in comparison to having spent the same amount on securing sporting participation for all children in all schools.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Participation in sport by children in schools is a key part of the sporting legacy from the 2012 Games. Since the 2013/14 academic year, a ring-fenced primary school sports fund of over £150m per year has been in place. This fund, the PE and School Sport Premium, is paid direct to every primary school headteacher in England and is ring-fenced. Government has committed to funding the PE and Primary School Sport premium throughout this Parliament. Two independent reports, by Ofsted and research company NatCen, have found that the premium is being used effectively. Another element of the sporting legacy from London 2012 is the School Games. The School Games were established in 2011 and consist of competition over four levels (intra-school, inter-school, county and national finals) for schoolchildren aged 5 to under-19. They were designed to build on the 2012 Games and enable every child to participate in competitive sport, including disabled children. 19,000 schools have signed up to the School Games and over 7,000,000 young people have taken part in the Games since their inception. School Games alumni are making their presence felt in elite sporting competition: 150 competitors in last year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games had previously competed at the School Games. Other elements of the sporting legacy include: · 1.4 million more people playing sport once a week than when we won the bid in 2005· more than £1bn over 5 years invested in youth and community sport· a 13% increase in funding for elite sport for the four years leading to Rio 2016 (a 7% increase for Olympic athletes and a 45% increase for Paralympians)· more than 12,000 visits to schools and communities by 1,477 GB Olympic and Paralymipc athletes since London 2012. The sporting legacy benefits from London 2012 are being felt across England.

Department of Health

Social Services: Living Wage

Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the announced National Living Wage from April 2016, what additional costs there will be in the next 12 months for social care providers.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The impact of the new National Living Wage on local authority finances will be considered during the Spending Review as part of an overall assessment of spending pressures on local authorities.

Breast Milk

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of the sale of human breast milk and human breast milk products through (1) retail outlets, and (2) the internet.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The experience of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is that the sale of breast milk is centred on a reasonably small number of enterprises, selling direct to the final consumer on a limited scale. The FSA strongly advises against anyone purchasing and consuming human breast milk or products made from or containing human breast milk because such milk is unlikely to have been collected or stored hygienically and could be unsafe.

Breast Milk

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many inspections by the Food Standards Agency or local authorities have been related to the sale of human breast milk and human breast milk products in the last year.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Food Standards Agency annually collects information from all local authorities on the number and type of inspections in manufacturers, caterers and retailers but the system used does not go into the level of detail which would allow us to identify the number of inspections related to the specific activity of selling human breast milk or its products.

Breast Milk

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they are giving about the dangers of the purchase of human breast milk and human breast milk products.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Food Standards Agency strongly advises against anyone purchasing and consuming human breast milk or products made from or containing human breast milk because such milk is unlikely to have been collected or stored hygienically and could be unsafe.

Cancer: Drugs

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria will be applied to select products for possible delisting from the Cancer Drugs Fund in July; and in particular what is the scoring system that will be used.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they are reviewing the Cancer Drugs Fund list, given the January review; and whether any assessment has been made of the impact on patients of the frequency with which medicines on the Cancer Drugs Fund list are reviewed.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The criteria and scoring system for reviewing the current listed drugs within the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) is outlined in the published CDF Standard Operating Procedure which is available at: www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/. These state that:   “Decisions will be based on the National Cancer Drugs Fund Prioritisation Tool in conjunction with an assessment of median drug cost per patient. This evaluation will be completed for each drug/indication under consideration and will result in an overall score based on a number of factors, including: o evidence of clinical benefit e.g. progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) o quality of life (QOL) o toxicity o unmet need o median drug cost per patient   Drugs on the National CDF List will be subject to an affordability test within the overall CDF budget, being added or removed according to their relative aggregate score using the National Cancer Drugs Fund Prioritisation Tool of clinical benefit in conjunction with the assessment of drug cost per patient. Drugs whose aggregate score is below the threshold applicable at the time will not be added/will be removed from the National CDF List.”   A copy is attached.   NHS England has advised that the Fund is re-prioritised on a regular basis so that the resources available are used to the best benefit of patients.



Cancer Drug Fund SOP
(PDF Document, 1.37 MB)

Cancer: Drugs

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the Cancer Drugs Fund has overspent, in the light of the second review to remove treatments from the Cancer Drugs Fund list.

Lord Prior of Brampton: NHS England has advised that the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) overspent by £135.7 million (against a budget of £280 million) in 2014-15.   Reprioritisation of the national CDF list is necessary within 2015-16 to remain within the fixed budget allocated to the Fund, as stated within the CDF Standard Operating Procedures.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Gaming Machines

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the research undertaken by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling into the social problems caused by fixed-odds betting terminals.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government remains committed to ensuring that people are protected from being harmed or exploited by gambling, and notes with interest any research relevant to that objective. New legislation came into force to improve player protections on B2s (commonly referred to as ‘fixed-odds betting terminals’) in April, and the law was also changed to require planning applications to be submitted to local authorities for new betting shops.We continue to monitor the effects of existing controls and if need be will take action if these controls are found to be insufficient.

Castes: Discrimination

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 July (HL Deb, col 572), whether they plan to publish the result of their consideration of the caste duty, and the meaning and effect of the judgment in Chandhok and Anor v Tirkey (Race Discrimination) [2014] UKEAT 0190_14_1912.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: In my answers to Noble Lords’ questions on 15 July, I sought to make clear that we understand the Employment Appeal Tribunal judgment in Chandhok and Anor v Tirkey as providing an existing legal remedy for claims of caste-based discrimination. We will keep the House informed of further developments in our consideration of the effect of this judgment on the caste duty.